Coin controlled vending machine



Nov. 9, 19 8- w. M. STEWART COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 4, 1944 jA/Vt'm/Q [4/ 4 so Mam: i mr Nov. 9, 1948. w. M. STEWART 2,453,280 com CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 4, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet? I 4-Z 3 C B l 30' i 2 l i 7 9/ l i A 124 l I l J I 7 94 i z I /3, I!

l 3 /54 i l I i l l Nov, 9, 1948. w. M. STEWART 2,453,230

COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 4, 1944 4 Shets-Sheet s Nov. 9, 1948. w. M. STEWART 2,453,280-

COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE I Filed Sept. 4, 1944 4 Sheets-sheaf, 4

,ZZW/EA/ 70/2, MASON M 751M914? W 'TToRA/EX Patented Nov. 9, 1948 2,453,280 v COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE Wilson Marks Stewart, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Application September 4, 1944, Serial No. 552,701 In Canada May 6, 1944 9 Claims.

My invention relates to coin-controlled vendingsigned to vend bottled liquids, for instance, so-

called soft drinks.

The machine operates automatically to dispense a bottle upon dropping of the prescribed coin into a suitable coin slot device. A machine of this kind may be termed for convenience, a single purpose machine.

A feature of the machine of the present invention is that it is so designed as to provide maximum storing capacity for a given overall size. This is primarily accomplished by providing means, in the form of parallel inclined trays or supports, upon which the bottles are laid transversely on their sides and upon which the gradually roll or move downwardly toward the delivery end of the machine, to be dispensed by a novel bottle-ejecting device. Thus, the bottles are stored in compact formation and little space is wasted.

Another feature of the machine of the present invention is that a bottle exerts little pressure or an adjacent bottle and this facilitates the movement of the bottles toward the deliver end of the machine.

Another feature of the machine of the present invention is that the upperslide is first emptied of its bottles, then the next lower slide is emptied of its bottles, and so on. This has been found to be a very desirable feature.

The preferred form of the machine of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front view, with the case partly broken away;

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front view of the machine;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of a wellknown selective coin slot device but slightly modified to serve the purposes of the present invention;

Figure 5 is the wiring diagram;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the pivoted bottle receiving chute and ejecting slot gate;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view showing bottlecontrolled switch controlling circuit to electro magnet-operated plunger of the coin slot device;

Figures 8 to 22 are diagrammatic views of the bottle-ejecting device in a sequence of rotary positions graphically illustrating the operation thereof.

Fi ure 23 is a fragment y v o t e machine.

Referring now by numerals to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the various figures, I0 is the casing, which is suitably insulated in a manner not shown. In the casing are a. plurality of 111- clined slides or bottle supports of which five are shown (although their number may be increased to increase the capacity of the machine) as H, l2, it, it and it. Such slides may be of channel cross section comprising floor l6, and low side walls it to properl guide the bottles 13 in their downward movement toward the delivery end of the machine.

Preferably, the slides are supported in a rigid frame or structure it, adapted to be inserted into and removed as a unit from the casing it. Forming part of the frame are rigid, upright plates 28 supporting transverse rods 2|, which in turn act as supports for the slides adjacent to the delivery end. of the machine. The slides at the end opposite to the delivery end of the machine, conveniently may be formed with hook-shaped portions 22 adapted to bend down over horizontal fiat bars 23 forming part of the frame it. The slides will thus be supported at one end by the rods 29 and at the opposite end by the bars 23, the hook-shaped portions 22 holding the slides against a downwardly sliding movement.

(Io-operating with the lower end of the slides are bottle-receiving members HA, HA, 53A, MA

and IIEA, respectively, substantially in the form of hollow half cylinders or hollow semi-circular members. Conveniently, each bottle-receiving member may comprise (see Figure '7) a semi-circular wall 25 and end discs 26, suitable pivots 21, rigid with the discs, extending outwardly in an axis defining the centre of each disc and formin journals rotating in the plates 28 forming part of the frame 98 at the delivery end of the machine.

Rigid with one pivot of each of the bottle-receiving members is a sprocket 29, the sprockets lying on the outer face or side. of the adjacent.

frame plate 28. The bottle-receiving members are rotated together in the same direction-anticlockwise as seen in Figure 1-by means of an endless sprocket chain 30 driven by a motor actuated sprocket 3| and engaging one side only of each of the sprockets 29. The shaft 32 rigidly mounting the driving sprocket 3|, which may be journalled in plates 33 secured to the frame It, has rigid thereon a worm gear 35 meshing with a worm screw 35 rigid on the shaft of an electric motor M so that suitable speed reduction can be effected.

The motor is energized from a suitable source (not shown) and the circuit to the motor is .controlled (preferably) by a suitable mercury switch S mounted on a shaft 31 journalled in the plates 33. The shaft 31 is rocked in an anti-clockwise directionas seen in Figure 1-to tilt the mercury switch to on position and thereby close the circuit to the motor, by means of a suitable solenoid A, the armature of which is adapted to engage a finger 39 rigidly mounted on the shaft 31, when the solenoid is energized. The circuit to the coil of the solenoid is controlled by a suitable coin operated switch (not shown) forming part of a suitable coin chute C so that as a coin drops through the chute the coil is momentarily energized and the armature moves to throw the switch to its on position. The switch, and the armature of the solenoid, are returned to their inoperative or ofi position, to thereby turn off the motor M, by means of a finger 42,- rigid on the shaft 32, engaging a finger 4i rigid on the rocking shaft 31.

As previously stated, the machine operates to first empty the top slide ll of itsbottles, then to empty the next lower slide 12 of its bottles, and so on. Accordingly, the bottle-receiving members are disposed in opposite relationship, consecutively. That is to say, when the uppermost member HA is facing upwardly as shown in Figure 2, capable of receiving or having received a bottle from its associated slide H, the second member I2A will be facing downwardly empty of any bottle, the third member |3A will be facing upwardly, holding a bottle, and so on. On the other hand, when the members are rotated 180 degrees from the position shown in Figure 2, the uppermost member HA will be empty of any bottle, the second member I2A will have and hold a bottle, which it has received from the member HA, the third member I 3A will be empty of any bottle, and so on.

The action of the bottle-receiving members may be best understood by reference to Figures 8 to 22, which, for the sake of simplicity, show the three upper members only and show only two bottles on each of the three slides shown. Figures 8 to 12 successively, illustrate one complete cycle or revolution of the members, the members being at rest in Figure 8 (prior to the dropping of a coin into the coin device) and having come to a stop after making one revolution (Figure 12). Figures 12 to 16 illustrate the second cycle or revolution of the members, the members being at rest in Figure 16. The third cycle is illustrated in Figures 16 to 20, again the members being at rest in Figure 20.

As will be seen by reference to Figure 12, the bottle which was in the member HA when in the position shown in Figure 8, is now in the member I3A, as shown in Figure 12. when the members arein the position shown in Figure 16, the slide H is now empty of all bottles. When the members are in the position shown in Figure 22, only one bottle remains on slide i2.

In order to insure smooth running of the bottlereceiving members, and more particularly to prevent the bottles in the bottle-receiving members from rubbing against the adjacent bottles on the adjacent slides, as for instance when the members are rotating and have reached such positions as are shown in Figures 9, ll, 13, 15, 17, 19 and 21,

means are preferably provided for holding the bottles lying on the slides a short distance away from the bottles in the bottle-receiving members. In the form shown in Figure 23, this means consists in a downwardly curved lip 90 rigid with the underside of each of the slides, other than the lowermost, the lip being adapted to provide a stop for the adjacent bottle.

Coil springs 20A are suspended from the frame l8 of the machine and are attached at their lower ends to the slides (excepting the lowermost slide), and these springs are tensioned to slightly raise the lower ends of the slides, that is the ends adjacent the bottle-receiving members, when the slidesaare empty of any bottles. Thus, as one slide, say for example slide l i, is raised under the action of the springs, the lip 90 attached to that particular slide will rise above the adjacent bottle to clear the same, so that such bottle and the succeeding bottles will successively be free to fall into the bottle-receiving member associated with such slide.

In order that the machine may reject a coin when empty of all bottles, that is when the last stated, the coin device may be any known suitable cash box. Such a device includes a coin channel 88, which leads or directs a coin to impinge on a rebounding edge 86. If the coin is a legal one, that is not counterfeit or a so-called slug, it bounces back'away from the edge 86 to fall into a channel 89 and thence into the coin box. On the other hand, if the coin is counterfeit, itmore or less rolls or slides off the edge 86 and falls upon a bevelled edge Bl and is directed thereby into a reject slot (not shown). The electro-magnetcontrolled plunger 82 is normally clear of the channel 89, but is operated by the action of the switch) to enter or project into and block the coin passage 89, to thereby cause the coin rebounding from the edge v8'6 to drop back upon the edge 81 and thereby reject it.

As shown in Figure '7, the switch 10 may comprise a rod I2 hinged as at 13 in a bracket 14 secured to the lowermost slide, l5. The forward end of the rod is curved upwardly as at 91 to pass through a longitudinal slot H, made in the bottom Wall of the slide, adjacent the lower end thereof. The rearward end of the rod includes a weighted fork portion "A apertured to receive a pin 15. Pivotally suspended by the pin is a rod 15, the lower end of which has an insulated pad 1?. Positioned to be engaged by the pad ll of the rod 16 when the slide I5 is empty of all bottles, is a spring contact 18A which is flexed by the weight of the rod 16 and portion 18A to disengage a contact H3. The contacts 18A and 18, which are normally in engagement, are connected in series with the coil of an electromagnet held in a suitable bracket 80A secured to one wall W of the casin to which the coin device C is secured; and also in series with the coil is a suitable mercury switch I80 secured to the basket 47 (Figure-6, to be referred to later). The plunger 82 aforesaid may conveniently be formed by extending the armature of the magnet 88, and it includes a rigid collar 83, preferably of insulation material. A coil spring 8i, interposed between the coil and the collar 83, is tensioned to move the armature (and therefore the plunger 82) away from the magnet (from the left to right as seen in Figure 7) to cause the plunger to be projected into the coin device when the coil of the magnet is deenergized. Thus, when the switch 10 is operated (as when the slide I5 is empty of all bottles) to break the circuit through the coil of the magnet, the plunger accaaao is moved away from the coil by the action of the spring 8|, to cause the'plunger to be moved into the coin passage 89. The plunger will similarly operate when the basket 41 is tilted as by the weight of a bottle. When a bottle lies on the slide 15 and thereby tilts therod 12 to cause the rod 16 to clear the contact 18, the circuit through the coil is again made and the plunger 82 is moved away from the coin passage to clear the same.

As a bottle is delivered or dropped by the lowermost bottle-receiving member ISA, it falls into a member or basket 41 which tilts under the weight of the bottle, to cause the same to slide in the basket and to be delivered out of the machine through an ejection opening 45A made in the wall of the casing Ill. The bottle so ejected slides into a chute 69 and comes to rest against a rubber pad 51. The bottle is then removed by hand. As best shown in Figure 6, the member 41 may comprise longitudinal bars 48 and 49 connected together by semi-circular straps 50. The basket may include a member 50 pivotally supported on pin 6| journalled in bracket 62 secured to the frame 3. The basket is normally held in a raised or operative, substantially horizontal position by means of a spring 64 tensioned between the frame I! and an arm 63 rigid with the member 60.

In order to prevent tampering with themachine, or more particularly to prevent one from attempting to reach into the inside of the machine through the ejection opening 45A and bottle opening 48 in the plate 28 of the frame IS, a ate 56 is preferably provided, being operable to normally close the bottle opening 45. The gate is pivotally supported at the bottom by means of a pin 58 journalled in brackets 59 secured to the inside of the plate 29. Rigid with having a curved slot 54 adapted to slidably receive a pin 53 carried by an arm rigid with the basket 41. The slot is so designed that, as the basket swings downwardly under the weight of a bottle, the sliding movement of the pin 52 in the slot will cause the gate to open inwardly. The gate is so proportioned that, when it is opened by the action of the basket, it will lie under the basket, so that the gate will in effect provide means on which the bottle will slide as it leaves the basket. In order that the gate may be locked when the basketis in normal position, empty of any bottle, the slot is formed with an upwardly extending notch 52 in which the'pin 53 will normally lodge.

Refrigeration provided for the machine may be obtained by means of a suitable refrigerating coil unit 9| disposed at the back of the frame l8 and enclosed in a suitable metal casing 99. The casing may be formed with suitable louvers 94 disposed preferably parallel with the'slides and provided with an intake 95 adjacent the top of the casing and adjacent an electric fan 92.

What I claim is:

1. In a coin-controlled vending machine including a casing having an ejection opening in a wall thereof to permit delivery of the article being vended, the combination of a member adapted to receive an article being vended and to tilt under the weight of the article to cause the same to slide toward said ejection opening, means for bringing said member back article-receiving position when free of the article, a gate for closing said ejection opening, and means between said member and said gate operating to hold said gate in closed position when said member is in bottle-receiving position and to move said gate to opened position combination of the gate is a bracket 55 being vended, the combination of a member,

2. In a machine as set forth in claim 1, said member including a rigid member having a pin, and said gate including a rigid member slotted to slldably receive said pin.

3. In a machine as set forth in claim 1, said member including a rigid member having a pin. and said gate including a rigid member slotted to slidably receive said pin, said slot including a notch to receive said pin when said gate is closed.

4. In a coin-controlled vending machine, the combination of superposed lower and upper trays forming supports for bottles lying transversely on their sides, said upper tray being movable above said lower tray, semi-cylindrical members associated with said trays, respectively, operable to deliver the bottles, each of said members being adapted when in a certain rotary position and empty, to receive a bottle from its associated tray, said upper tray having means adapted to form a stop fora bottle on said lower tray when said upper tray is loaded thereby preventing the bottle from being received into the member associated with said lower tray, and means for moving said upper tray to cause said stop to clear the bottle onsaid lower tray when said upper tray is unloaded.

5. In a coin-controlled vending machine, the at least two superposed trays forming supports for bottles lying transversely on their sides, the lower tray being fixed, the upper tray being pivotally supported, simultaneously rotatable, semi-cylindrical bottle-receiving members associated with said trays, respectively, each adapted when in a certain rotary position and empty, to receive a bottle from its associated tray, said upper tray having means adjacent its associated bottle-receiving member adapted to form a stop for a bottle on said lower tray when said upper tray is loaded thereby preventing the bottle from being received into the member associated with said lower tray, and. means operating to raise said upper tray to cause said stop to clear the bottle on said lower tray when said upper tray is unloaded.

6. In a coin-controlled vending machine including a casing having an ejection opening in a wall thereof to permit delivery of the article adapted to receive an article being vended and to tilt under the weight of the article to cause the same to slide toward said ejection opening, means for bringing said member back to article-receiving position when free of the article, and a gate for closing said ejection opening, said member including a rigid member having a pin, and said gate including a rigid member having a curved slot in which said pin is slidable to actuate said gate by said first-named member.

'7. In a machine as set forth in ,claim 6, said slot including a notch to receive said pin' and releasably lock said gate in closed position when said first-named member is in article-receiving position.

8. In a machine as setforth in claim 1, said means including a bracket extending from said member, a bracket extending from said gate, one of said brackets carrying a pin, and said other bracket having a curved slot in which said pin slides.

9. In a machine as set forth in claim 1, said means including a bracket extending from said member, a bracket extending from said gate, one of said bracket-s carrying a pin, said other bracket when said member is tilted. having a curved slot in which said pin slides, and

Number Name Date 0 Beretta Oct, 23, 1894 Name Date Oliver June 28, 1927 Blossom et a1 Mar. 21, 1935 Lane Jan. 28, 1936 Taylor July 19, 1938 Garner Jan. 16, 1940 Smith Aug. 27, 1940 Gabrielsen Sept. 24, 1940 MacCarlet Feb. 18, 1941 

